The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape conducted oversight at an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Ritchie in an effort to support and strengthen its response to food insecurity, malnutrition and stunting in the province.
The Shalom Day Care Centre in Ritchie currently has one ECD practitioner and two staff members to take care of 56 children, aged two to five. The centre faces significant cashflow constraints and is compelled to close at 12:00 each day because it cannot afford to provide lunch or snacks for the children. The staff rely on porridge donated by the Department of Social Development for the children’s breakfast. There is enough porridge for two more months.
High unemployment rates and subsequent grant dependency makes it difficult for the centre to source additional funding from parents and caregivers. Only 20% of the children’s parents can afford to make a minimal monthly contribution to the centre’s finances, which is not enough to meet the needs of all children. In addition, few parents can afford to send sandwiches or other snacks with their children.
The situation at the centre raises the alarm on matters of food insecurity and food shortages affecting children of the Northern Cape. It also confirms the findings of the most recent Child Gauge that the Northern Cape remains the province with the highest levels of child hunger reported in the country and the highest prevalence of infants born with low birth weight.
Based on our findings, the DA will embark on visits to ECD centres across the province. The feedback and firsthand experience of ECD practitioners will be used to develop a province-specific implementation plan, with solutions that are tailored to the unique challenges identified in each community.
Children cannot learn on empty tummies. When food shortages force ECD centres to close, children are denied the opportunity to develop the basic skills that serve as building blocks for future success.